Expedited BS/MS Program (4+1 Program)
The department offers an accelerated 4+1 program that enables highly motivated and capable students to gain both BS and MS degrees in 5 years. This program is open to all students but works particularly well for those who bring in relevant Advanced Placement or Early College Experience credits from high school. Taking required undergraduate courses ahead of schedule opens up space in the senior year to include graduate coursework, allowing completion of all MS requirements in one additional year.
Students who are interested in the Nutritional Sciences 4+1 program are encouraged to discuss this route with their advisors early in the sophomore year, and they should apply for the program in the spring of the junior year. GRE score is not required for this program when students enter the graduate portion of this program.
Admissions and Program Requirements
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0
- At least B- in all NUSC and science courses
- 2 letters of recommendation
- Personal Statement
Timeline
If following a 4+1 course sequence, students should apply for the 4+1 program in the spring of junior year after completing PNB 2264, PNB 2265, and MCB 2000 courses
Process
- Spring of Junior Year: Email application materials to the Director of Graduate Studies
- Applications will not be reviewed until all materials are submitted
- Spring of Senior Year: Apply to the Nutritional Sciences M.S. program via Slate
Plan A vs. Plan B
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- The Plan A option works well for Honors students (although not necessary), who can build upon their Honors research work to construct an MS thesis. Students in this option may have an opportunity to receive a teaching or a research assistantship that comes with a full tuition waiver and a stipend.
- Students with an interest in dietetics can stay an extra year and complete the Plan B MS degree with coursework, prior to applying for a Dietetic Internship. From 2024, an MS degree will be required to sit for the Registered Dietitian credentialing exam. Scholarships are available on a competitive basis for the students who take this option.
Default acceptance track is Plan B (non-thesis), although Plan A is possible with PI support. Applicants must identify 4+1 graduate advisor.
Maintaining Satisfactory Progress
A 4+1 student's progress will be monitored regularly by the student's 4+1 program advisor. Any student whose scholastic record does not meet the minimum requirements may be subject to academic dismissal.
Application Deadline
February 1
Recommended Course Sequences
Nutritional Sciences 4+1
Fall Semester
*CHEM 1124Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry (4 credits)
*ENGL 1007: Seminar in Writing (4 credits)
*NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)
Electives (0 - 3 credits)
Total: 12 - 15 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 1125Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry II (3 credits)
*NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
*BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Environmental Literacy (3 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Fall Semester
*CHEM 2241: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
*NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development (3 credits)
Content Area 2 (3 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
*PNB 2264: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*SOCI 1001: Intro to Sociology (3 credits)
STAT 1100Q**: Elementary Concepts of Statistics (4 credits)
*PNB 2265: Human Anatomy and Physiology (4 credits)
Content Area 4 (3 credits)
W Course (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Fall Semester
NUSC 3233: Food Comp & Preparation (3 credits)
NUSC 3234: Food Comp & Prep Lab (1 credits)
*MCB 2000: Intro to Biochemistry (4 credits)
Electives (6 credits)
Total: 14 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 3230: Community Nutrition (3 credits)
NUSC 3271: Food Service Systems Lab (2 credits)
NUSC 3272: Food Service Systems Management (2 credits)
*NUSC 4236: Metabolism and Functions of Nutrients (4 credits)
*NUSC 4237W: Writing in Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Elective (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Fall Semester
NUSC 4250: Nutrition for Exercise and Sport (3 credits)
NUSC 4260: Dietary Supplements and Functional Foods (3 credits)
NUSC 5100: Concepts of Nutrition (2 credits)
NUSC 5200: Macronutrient Metabolism (3 credits)
Electives (1 - 4 credits)
Total: 12 - 15 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 5300: Vitamins and Minerals (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6xxx: NUSC Grad Elective (3 credits)
Elective (9 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Fall Semester
STAT XXXX: STAT Course (3 credits)
NUSC 5394: Seminar (1 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
GRAD 5910: Responsible Conduct in Research (1 credits)
NUSC 5399: Independent Study (4 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5399: Independent Study (3 credits)
Total: 12 credits
*required for a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and to earn a Verification Statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This Plan of Study assumes the foreign language requirement is completed before admission to the University. If needed, a student may take these as electives.
This plan assumes that the student will pursue a Plan B (non-thesis) M.S. degree. The Plan A thesis option is also possible, with the substitution of 9 GRAD 5950 Master's Thesis Research credits for some of the grad elective/independent study courses listed here.
Didactic Program in Dietetics 4+1
Fall Semester
*CHEM 1124Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry (4 credits)
*ENGL 1007: Seminar in Writing (4 credits)
*NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)
UNIV 1810: Learning Community Seminar: Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Electives (0-3 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 1125Q: Fundamentals of General Chemistry II (3 credits)
*NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
*BIOL 1107: Principles of Biology (4 credits)
Content Area 1: (3 credits)
Environmental Literacy: (3 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Fall Semester
*CHEM 2241: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
*NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development (3 credits)
Content Area 2 (3 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
*PNB 2264: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*SOCI 1001: Intro to Sociology (3 credits)
*STAT 1100Q: Elementary Concepts of Statistics (4 credits)
*PNB 2265: Human Anatomy and Physiology (4 credits)
Content Area 4 (3 credits)
W Course (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Fall Semester
*NUSC 3245: Profession in Dietetics (1 credits)
*NUSC 3233: Food Comp & Preparation (3 credits)
*NUSC 3234: Food Comp & Prep Lab (1 credits)
*MCB 2000: Intro to Biochemistry (4 credits)
*AH 4244: Management for the Health Professional (3 credits)
*AH 4242: Counsel/Teach for Health Professional (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Spring Semester
*NUSC 3230: Community Nutrition (3 credits)
*NUSC 3271: Food Service Systems Lab (2 credits)
*NUSC 3272: Food Service Systems Management (2 credits)
*NUSC 4236: Metabolism and Functions of Nutrients (4 credits)
*NUSC 4237W: Writing in Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Elective (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Fall Semester
*MCB 2160: Fundamentals of Microbiology (4 credits)
*NUSC 3150: Medical Nutritional Therapy I (3 credits)
*NUSC 4272: Food Service System Management II (2 credits)
*NUSC 4294: Seminar in Dietetic Internship Prep (1 credits)
NUSC 5100: Concepts of Nutrition (2 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 3250: Medical Nutrition Therapy II (3 credits)
NUSC 5300: Vitamins and Minerals (3 credits)
NUSC 5XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
Electives (6 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Fall Semester
STAT XXXX: STAT Course (3 credits)
NUSC 5394: Seminar (1 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
GRAD 5910: Responsible Conduct in Research (1 credits)
NUSC 5399: Independent Study (4 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5399: Independent Study (3 credits)
Total: 12 credits
*required for a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and to earn a Verification Statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This Plan of Study assumes the foreign language requirement is completed before admission to the University. If needed, a student may take these as electives.
This plan assumes that the student will pursue a Plan B (non-thesis) M.S. degree. The Plan A thesis option is also possible, with the substitution of 9 GRAD 5950 Master's Thesis Research credits for some of the grad elective/independent study courses listed here.
Pre-Medical Profession 4+1
Fall Semester
*CHEM 1127Q: General Chemistry (4 credits)
*ENGL 1007: Seminar in Writing (4 credits)
*NUSC 1165: Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)
*BIOL 1107 (or 1108): Principles of Biology (4 credits)
UNIV 1810: Learning Community Seminar: Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 1128Q: General Chemistry II (4 credits)
NUSC 1167: Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
STAT 1100Q: Elementary Concepts of Statistics (4 credits)
BIOL 1108 (or 1107): Principles of Biology (4 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Fall Semester
*CHEM 2443: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
*NUSC 2200: Nutrition and Human Development (3 credits)
MATH 1131Q: Calculus I (4 credits)
*PNB 2264: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Spring Semester
*CHEM 2444: Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
MATH 1132Q: Calculus II (4 credits)
SOCI 1001: Intro to Sociology (3 credits)
*PNB 2265: Human Anatomy & Physiology II (4 credits)
Content Area 4: (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Fall Semester
NUSC 3233: Food Comp & Preparation (3 credits)
CHEM 2445: Organic Chemistry & Laboratory (3 credits)
PSYC 1100: General Psychology I (3 credits)
*MCB 2000: Intro to Biochemistry (4 credits)
Content Area 1 (3 credits)
Total: 16 credits
Spring Semester
*NUSC 4263: Metabolism and Functions of Nutrients (4 credits)
*NUSC 4237W: Writing in Nutritional Sciences (1 credits)
NUSC 3230: Community Nutrition (3 credits)
MCB 2210: Cell Biology (3 credits)
NUSC 4299: Independent Study (3 credits)
Environmental Literacy (3 credits)
Total: 17 credits
Fall Semester
MCB 2400 (or 2410): Human Genetics (or Genetics) (3 credits)
PHYS 1201Q: General Physics I (4 credits)
NUSC 4299: Independent Study (3 credits)
NUSC 5100: Concepts of Nutrition (2 credits)
NUSC 5200: Macronutrient Metabolism (3 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Spring Semester
PHYS 1202Q: General Physics II (4 credits)
NUSC 4296W: Honors Thesis (3 credits)
NUSC 5300: Vitamins and Minerals (3 credits)
Electives (5 credits)
Total: 15 credits
Fall Semester
STAT XXXX: STAT Course (3 credits)
NUSC 5394: Seminar (1 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
GRAD 5910: Responsible Conduct in Research (1 credits)
NUSC 5950: Master's Thesis Research (4 credits)
Total: 12 credits
Spring Semester
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (3 credits)
NUSC 5/6XXX: Grad Elective (4 credits)
NUSC 5950: Master's Thesis Research (5 credits)
Total: 12 credits
*required for a B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and to earn a Verification Statement from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This Plan of Study assumes the foreign language requirement is completed before admission to the University. If needed, a student may take these as electives.
This plan assumes that the student will pursue a Plan A (thesis) M.S. degree, completing 9 credits of GRAD 5950 Master's Thesis Research credits and writing a thesis. The Plan B non-thesis option is also possible, with the substitution of grad coursework for the Master's Thesis Research credits.
Contact Us
Graduate Program Director
Yangchao Luo, Ph.D.
Advanced Technology Laboratory, Room 211A
yangchao.luo@uconn.edu
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Rhonda Puglisi, Ph.D., R.D.
Roy E. Jones Building, Room 123
rhonda.puglisi@uconn.edu